Boys' soccer: Devils enter playoffs unbeaten at home

The first bounce of the postseason went against the Lewiston boys' soccer team.

Last week, the Blue Devils finished in a tie for third in Eastern A. A coin flip determined the final standings. Hampden was awarded third, while Lewiston landed fourth. It gave the Blue Devils a pretty challenging tournament path, but coach Mike McGraw knew it wasn't going to be easy anyway.

"It didn't matter," McGraw said. "Whoever we played, it was going to be a difficult game. You've got to play everybody to get to the top. If you win, you play again. If you don't, you're done."

Lewiston (9-2-3) hopes to get the bounces from here on out. Lewiston is unbeaten at home this year (6-0-1) and has shown great potential, beating second-ranked Brunswick. The Blue Devils, who won eight games last year, were bounced in the prelim. This year, the team has more experience and has played with more consistency.

"I think the skill level has improved, and I think they're playing much better together," McGraw said.

Lewiston possess a solid defense, which allowed nine goals and posted four shutouts, but it is the speed and quickness up front that has proved a challenge for foes.

"Speed and pressure, that's really been a factor because the speed of play has been able to make our opponents make quicker decisions, and sometimes that makes them a little less efficient," McGraw said.

That pressure increases for 10 local clubs in the boys' soccer tournament. Here's a look at the tournament ahead.

Class A

Bangor and Brunswick are the two tops teams and could ultimately be headed for a rematch in the Eastern Maine final.

Lewiston hosts Erskine (8-2-4), a team it split with in the regular season, a 1-0 loss on the road and 3-1 win at home. The last meeting was an intense and physical battle that sets the stage for a competitive showdown. McGraw is pleased that his team senses that it can do well. A win could give Lewiston a shot at Bangor.

"There will be no regrets when they're done," McGraw said. " They're putting out the best effort, and they're confident. They feel good about themselves. They're just a good team playing well together now."

EL didn't benefit from Lewiston's loss of the coin toss. The Red Eddies (8-3-3) travel to Hampden (11-3), instead of playing at Lewiston. EL has battled injuries most of the season, but its defense (five shutouts and 15 goals against) keeps them competitive with most teams.

Class B

The Western Maine Conference teams could continue to rule, but a few local clubs hope to make some noise.

Oak Hill (11-3) was expecting big things this season with nine starters back. The Raiders host a Lincoln Academy team it beat 2-1 earlier in the year. The Raiders have scored 44 goals and travelled well with a 7-1 road record. A quarterfinal win could mean a trip to top-ranked Falmouth.

Gray-New Gloucester (8-5-1) won just four games last year, but turned things around in a hurry. The Patriots draw an experience club at Maranacook, but GNG was 5-1-1 on the road this year.

Lisbon (9-5) was hurt by graduation and injury, but still finished strong to earn a shot at second-ranked Yarmouth (11-0-3).The Greyhounds scored 49 goals this season and were 5-2 on the road, including an overtime win at Georges Valley to finish the regular season.

Class C

St. Dom's is the favorite after scoring 79 goals and allowing just six, with nine shutouts. The Saints also are driven by last year's disappointment, losing to Waynflete in penalty kicks in the semifinal.

"We don't want that same feeling in our stomach at the end of the season," junior forward Alex Parker said. "We have a target on our backs, but that's OK. We continually talked about that game in practice throughout the season."

The Saints (14-0), coming off a win in the MVC title game last week, hosts Livermore Falls (7-5-2). The Andies finished 0-2-1 in its last three games but have a team that is playoff-seasoned.

Dirigo (12-0-2) could be another threat. The Cougars scored 59 goals and allowed 11. Dirigo drew a very difficult bracket with NYA in the first round and potentially the defending state champs from Waynflete in the second. Those two WMC teams could pose the biggest threat to MVC clubs, but Dirigo's 3-0 loss to St. Dom's in the MVC game might help their cause. Dirigo gave up two early goals but adjusted to the Saints style of play as the game went on.

"Knowing that we can move the ball around against St. Dom's is big," Dirigo coach Dennis Hanson said. "Going into NYA now, we have to know that we can play with anybody in the state. If you take away the first 10 minutes (against St. Dom's), it's a different game."

Mt. Abram could be another team to watch. The Roadrunners lost in the regional final last year and scored 42 goals this year while allowing seven, posting seven shutouts. They play at Wiscasset, a team they did not see in the regular season. The Roadrunners lost all four of their games by 1-0 scores and are 5-1-1 on the road.

Class D

Richmond (11-2) only lost one game to a Western D foe, and that was second-ranked Greenville. That could be the pairing for the regional title unless Buckfield (9-3-1) can do something about it in the semifinals. The Bucks play at Greenville this weekend where it won 2-1 earlier in the year. The Bucks are also 5-1-1 on the road.